5 Must Have Features on the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder

Pathfinder is Nissan’s mid-size, next-generation SUV, more properly – though less frequently – called a CUV; a crossover utility vehicle. Now in its fourth generation, the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder has a long-established reputation for providing drivers and passengers with a first-rate suite of mechanical, safety and entertainment features.

Successor to the Station Wagon

The CUV concept is intended to combine the best assets of both traditional SUVs and passenger vehicles, while riding a valuable market segment of the SUV’s perceived disadvantages, most conspicuously initial buy-in cost and relatively poor fuel economy. Built using passenger cars’ unibody construction, rather than trucks’ body-on-frame platforms, handling reminiscent of ordinary cars is blended with large cabins and high centers of gravity.

For some, the best of both worlds: the vehicle seats seven adults comfortably, offers best-in-class towing capacity and best-in-class passenger volume, while returning high miles-per-gallon figures for a vehicle of its size. Choosing Pathfinder is easy but choosing must-have features may be a bit more challenging.

1. Features by Model

Having decided that aCUV is for you, and that Nissan Pathfinder is the CUV, the next decision is to choose the best-suited model/trim package. Two-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations are manufactured, with the latter available at extra cost. Purchasers can base their trim decisions as to which primary model will best suit their requirements on the following overview of standard features.

The entry-level S model is delivered with:

18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels

Drive-Assist advanced display

EZ Flex latch-and-glide seat movement

Triple-zone automatic temperature control

The mid-range SV adds:

Bluetooth hands-free phone system

Intelligent door/ignition key

Rear view monitor

Roof rails

Top-of-the-range SL also delivers:

Fog lights

Leather-paneled seats (excluding third row)

Power liftgate

Remote engine start technology

2. Sound and Vision

New for the 2014 model year, the SL Tech Package, which may be the ultimate in user-centric onboard electronics:

XM NavTraffic and NavWeather (if you also buy the relevant SiriusXM subscription)

Voice recognition

3. Bird’s Eye View

Nissan’s parking camera system can be upgraded to what the factory has dubbed its Around View facility. Four separate cameras deliver a composite, 360-degree image of the outside of the vehicle to its touch-screen monitor. This creates an impression of viewing the Pathfinder from above, allowing easier maneuvering into tight parking spots, confirming the CUV’s position within parking space lines and road markings, and offers obvious security benefits to boot.

4. Playing the Platinum Card

Pathfinder is also offered as a Platinum edition (effectively a better-than-top trim). This elegant, sophisticated vehicle features:

5. Perhaps the Ultimate Accessory

As of 2013, Pathfinder has been available as a hybrid. The vehicle twins an electric motor (powered by a Lithium-ion battery so compact it fits under the third-row seating, without taking up any cargo or passenger space) with a supercharged 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine. The result delivers 250 net horsepower, virtually indistinguishable from the regular Pathfinder’s 3.5-liter V6 engine (260 horsepower).

Drivers across the east-central Pennsylvania area, who have additional questions, can drop in at Montgomeryville Nissan, 991 Bethlehem Pike, Montgomeryville, PA, or contact Steve Bernadino, Director of Operations, via the dealership’s Contact Us Page. Despite very active sales performance, the dealership strives to keep a full selection of Pathfinders on the forecourt for inspection and test drives.